Alex Verdugo first... Juan Soto next? Yankees and Red Sox complete just their seventh trade in 50 YEARS with New York 'now set to step up efforts to bring Padres star to the Big Apple'

New York Yankees have traded for Alex Verdugo of the Boston Red Sox, with the two rivals completing just their seventh trade in 50 years.

Yankees get the outfielder in exchange for Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice.

And the move is not expected to signal the end of the hopes at Yankee Stadium to bring in Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres.

There are multiple reports on Tuesday night that they are still in hit pursuit of the left-hander. 

Yankees have urgently needed left-handed options and Verdugo is one - but they hope that Soto will eventually be another.

SNY said that talks between the Padres and the Yankees regarding Soto could pick up this week after previously reaching a stalemate. 

Verdugo, 27, is arguably better known for how he got to Boston rather than anything he has accomplished on the field. He, catcher Connor Wong and infielder Jeter Downs were acquired in the February 2020 deal that sent superstar Mookie Betts and left-hander David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In four years with the Red Sox, Verdugo hit a composite .281 with a .338 on-base percentage, a .424 slugging percentage, 43 homers and 206 RBIs. He played 142 games in 2023, batting .264/.324/.421 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs.

Counting the three seasons he spent with the Dodgers, Verdugo has a career .281/.337/.428 batting line with 57 home runs and 255 RBIs in 651 games.

Primarily a corner outfielder, Verdugo also has seen time in center field. He could be a free agent following the upcoming season.

Weissert, 28, made 17 relief appearances for the Yankees this year, netting no decisions and a 4.05 ERA. He broke into the majors with 12 games out of the New York bullpen in 2022, when he finished 3-0 with a 5.56 ERA.

Fitts, 23, spent the 2023 season in Double-A, where he went 11-5 with a 3.48 ERA in 27 starts. He was a sixth-round draft pick in 2021 out of Auburn.

Judice, 22, has yet to make his pro debut after New York selected him in the eighth round of the 2023 draft out of UL-Monroe.